Crockery baskets for receiving kitchen ware such as plates, cups, glasses etc., for use in dishwasher machines, particularly domestic dishwasher machines, are widely known. The object of the design of crockery baskets is to offer the user maximum flexibility in filling the crockery basket. The intention is therefore to be able to arrange crockery of varying dimensions, e.g. plates and bowls of differing depth, comfortably in a crockery basket making optimum use of the space available. A number of suggestions have been made for creating this flexibility.
DE 88 11 474 U discloses a crockery basket for a domestic dishwasher machine with a grid-type holding device consisting of interconnecting prongs. Here the holding device is pivotably mounted about a horizontal axis between different positions. Parts which serve as dish stops for preventing cups or similar small crockery from sliding off are formed on the holding device perpendicular to the axis of pivoting and parts projecting from both sides of a supporting surface of the holding device. The pivoting of the holding device between different positions provides the desired more flexible use of the crockery basket.
DE 198 57 104 A1 discloses a further developed crockery basket in which the prongs of a holding device that can be pivoted between different positions are designed so that they angled at their lower ends facing the crockery basket. This enables crockery, particularly hollow bodied crockery—with a depth greater than plates—also to be received in the crockery basket. The receiving capacity of the crockery basket may be used more flexibly without other devices being installed in the crockery basket for this purpose or without having to remove them when not in use.
Particularly high flexibility is achieved in a variant in which only every second prong of a plurality of prongs of a holding device in a row of prongs is designed angled at its lower end in order to act as a stop for retaining wider hollow bodied crockery. Such a stop can then be retained between two stops when the holding device is laid flat, the distance between the two stops being twice that in the upright row of folding prongs set upright. The disadvantage of the disk rack described is that a flat surface cannot be provided.
Another solution or the flexible receiving of crockery of varying depth is proposed in EP 0 729 725 A1. This relates to an insert that can be inserted in a crockery basket with a pair of rotary wire brackets by means of which the dish holder can be offset in different configurations. The rotary holding devices are offset against each other in the longitudinal direction on parallel rotary detaining wires. The prongs are in this manner arranged equidistant from each other in the longitudinal direction. By twisting of the two holding devices into an “open” position, the distance between two prongs of the dish holder is doubled. The disadvantage of the arrangement described in EP 0 729 725 A1 consists in the fact that due to the pivoting of one or both holding devices the prong ends of the pivoted holding device stand upwards in the crockery basket and occupy a space lying adjacent to the dish holder. The result of this is that only insufficient flexibility can be achieved in the crockery basket.